 | Verses by W. H. Mallock |  |
61
BOAT SONG
Hollow and vast, starred skies are o'er us,
Bare to their blue profoundest height.
Waves and moonlight melt before us
Into the heart of the lonely night.
Bare to their blue profoundest height.
Waves and moonlight melt before us
Into the heart of the lonely night.
Row, young oarsman, far out yonder,
Over the moonlight's breathing breast.
Rest not—give us no pause to ponder;
All things we can endure but rest.
Over the moonlight's breathing breast.
Rest not—give us no pause to ponder;
All things we can endure but rest.
Row, young oarsman; row, young oarsman;
Into the crypt of the night we float.
Fair, faint moon-flames wash and wander—
Wash and wander about our boat.
Into the crypt of the night we float.
Fair, faint moon-flames wash and wander—
Wash and wander about our boat.
62
See how shadow and silver mingle
Here on the wonderful wide bare sea;
And shall we sigh for the blinking ingle?
Sigh for the old known chamber—we?
Here on the wonderful wide bare sea;
And shall we sigh for the blinking ingle?
Sigh for the old known chamber—we?
Not a fetter is here to bind us,
Love and memory loose their spell.
Friends of the home we have left behind us,
Prisoners of content, farewell!
Love and memory loose their spell.
Friends of the home we have left behind us,
Prisoners of content, farewell!
Do we sigh for the old smiles tender—
The homely love, and the pure repose?
Sighing bosoms, would ye surrender
Sighs like ours for smiles like those?
The homely love, and the pure repose?
Sighing bosoms, would ye surrender
Sighs like ours for smiles like those?
Row, young oarsman, far out yonder,
Over the moonlight's breathing breast.
Rest not—give us no pause to ponder.
All things we can endure but rest!
Over the moonlight's breathing breast.
Rest not—give us no pause to ponder.
All things we can endure but rest!
Row, young oarsman; row, young oarsman;
See how the diamonds drip from the oar.
What of the shore and friends? young oarsman,
Never row us again to shore!
See how the diamonds drip from the oar.
What of the shore and friends? young oarsman,
Never row us again to shore!
| Verses by W. H. Mallock | |